


The Most Desired Outcome

by PipMer



Category: Avengers: Infinity War - Fandom, Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, infinity war - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Gap Filler, Gen, Missing Scene, Speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-01 23:49:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14532060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PipMer/pseuds/PipMer
Summary: Stephen Strange saw what it took to achieve victory over Thanos.  While the sorcerer takes steps to set the required events in motion, Tony Stark can't see past the coming darkness.





	The Most Desired Outcome

**Author's Note:**

> THIS FIC CONTAINS INFINITY WAR SPOILERS
> 
> So this is my first time writing in this fandom. It's just a very short ficlet, but I had to get something out after watching Infinity War. Needless to say, spoilers ahead. If you haven't seen Infinity War, you will 1) be spoiled, and 2) won't know the context of what's happening.
> 
> Grateful thanks to vulgarweed, who gave it a look over and provided encouragement. 
> 
> I meant for this to just be a standalone offering, but if I get inspired I may add to it. Stay tuned!

Stephen closed his eyes. 

_Fourteen million alternate futures. Only one where we win._

Therefore… there was only one way.

A way that required great sacrifice. Not just on a personal level, but on a universal scale.

He could only feel relief that he himself would not survive long enough to feel agonizing regret over the choice.

 

***

 

“Why would you do that?” Tony asked, pure anguish lacing his voice. “You realize that you’ve just handed him the entire universe on a silver platter?”

Strange lowered his eyes as if in shame. He said something about an ‘endgame’, and Tony rolled his eyes. He let out a resigned sigh. “I suppose it goes without saying… that this is one of those futures where we don’t win.”

In a low, almost hesitant voice, the wizard responded, “On the contrary. This is exactly the one where we do.” 

Tony’s head snapped up, eyes wide. “What? How is that possible?”

“When I saw all of those possible futures… you, Stark, survive in the one where Thanos is defeated. But that is the only one in which you *do*. So, when you ask why I did what I did? It was the only thing I _could_ do to ensure victory.”

“At the expense of everyone else? How is that victory?”

“You’ll see. You have to trust me.”

“I just watched you hand over an Infinity Stone to our enemy! An artifact that you swore to protect over my life, and I assume over anyone else’s. And you said _I’m_ the one who doesn’t know what’s at stake here - “

“You don’t! Which is why I’m asking you to trust me. Because _I_ do. I know, with an intimate knowledge, exactly what is at stake here. Believe me, all of those millions of outcomes that I witnessed, the ones where Thanos prevails? I would not wish any one of them on my worst enemy. I have witnessed carnage that you cannot begin to imagine. But what you have to accept, Stark… is that even the most desired outcome requires almost unimaginable loss. It’s what I have seen. I am sorry. I am trying to mitigate the damage as much as I can.”

Tony scoffed. “By giving Thanos one of the Stones that he requires for becoming the most powerful being in the universe. Sure, I buy that.”

Strange frowned. “What other reason do you believe I would have for doing such a thing?”

“Well, I’m sure I don’t know. I don’t know the way of sorcerers and wizards, what kind of agenda your sort might have going on.”

“My sort?”

Out of nowhere, a smothering weariness seeped into Tony’s bones, and he had no fight left in him. “Just - give it a rest, yeah? Maybe just catch our breaths for a moment and figure out what our next step should be.”

 

***

 

For a few minutes there, Tony had allowed a faint sort of hope to creep in, to shine a little light into the dark corners of his heart and mind. Maybe Strange knew what he was doing. He was a wizard, after all. Maybe the universe just needed some magic to help things along, to sort things out.

But that was before he watched the Guardians blow away in a burst of dust, along with Strange himself.

And when he felt the body of Peter Parker melt out of his arms, Tony knew that the result could never be worth the price being paid. Not in a million years. Not in fourteen million different universes.

Strange was wrong. There was no winning here. Only tragic, unimaginable loss.


End file.
